DUBAI, 13 November 2007 — A new airline will take to the skies by the end of this year in the United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Issam Khairallah, president of the new operator, Midex Airlines, said at the Dubai Air Show yesterday that he received the license for cargo and passenger operations earlier this year.
He said Midex will first start with cargo operations to six major destinations that include Orly in France, Mumbai and Kochin in India, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Istanbul in Turkey and Beirut in Lebanon.
“We will operate scheduled flights daily to all six destinations with cargo initially,” Khairallah said, pointing out that the new airline has reserved its option to start passenger operations at a later date.
“We will be United Arab Emirate’s first dedicated cargo airline and the largest cargo operator in the Middle East with a privately-owned fleet,” Midex president said.
The airline management has been busy acquiring aircraft, having all the necessary checks done and getting them ready to take to the skies. Midex has a fleet of six Airbus, A300B4-203F aircraft at present owned by the company.
Jassim Al-Bastaki, Midex director general, said the cargo carrier will have scheduled flights daily out of Al-Ain Airport, which will act as the airline’s hub airport.
In related development, Prestige Jet, the new, fast-growing, private aviation company operating out of Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al-Ain Airport, has signed an agreement with Flight Ambulance International (FAI), a world leader in medical evacuation and repatriation services.
Under the terms of the agreement, Prestige Jet will be the exclusive representative for FAI in Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain and will offer a worldwide air ambulance service for patients, to transport them between the two cities and any destination in the world.
Ghaith Ben Hamil Al-Ghaith, chairman of Prestige Jet, said that since the inception of the airline in May 2007, there has been growing demand for air ambulance services.
